Adjustable dashboard.



No. 794.219. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

' H. GOTTSCHALK.

ADJUSTABLE DASHBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 7,1904.

- I I l nelssesf UNITED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ADJUSTABLE DASHBOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 794,219, dated. July11, 1905.

Application fil d November 7, 1904. Serial No. 231,785.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hueo GroTTsoHALK, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Reedsville, in the county of Mifliin and State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in AdjustableDashboards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inadjustable dashboards for vehicles; and the primary object thereof is toproduce a device of this type which is extremely simple in constructionand inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a dashboard which can bereadily swung to different adjustments without the requirement of theloosening of any nuts or other fastening means.

In carrying out my inventionI provide what might be termed hingedmembers, which have at their central portions friction members, theinner faces of which frictionally en gage, one another, so that thedashboard can be moved and held in its adjusted position by frictionalengagement between said faces. It will be obvious that by tightening thesecuring element which passes between these friction members thedashboard can be made to work stiffer, or vice versa.

Further objects and advantages will be set forth in the followingdescription and those features of novelty upon which I desire patentprotection defined in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of referenceindicate like parts throughout the several views, Figure I is a view inside elevation of the buggy constructed in accordance with my invention,the runninggear being removed. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of thebuggy-body, taken in the rear of the dashboard and looking toward thesame. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation of one of thecorner-posts of the buggy-body with one of the hinges connected thereto.Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the hinge. Fig. 5 is adetail view of the two hinge-sections, the same being disassembled, soas to show the construction of their inner faces. Fig. 6 is a detailview showing the relative positions of one of the hinges with respect tothe forward end of the buggybody, the dashboard, and the corner-posts,parts being broken away.

In carrying out my invention I provide a plurality of hinges in thepresent case two being employed and it will be obvious that the numbercan be varied at will without making material alterations. Each of thesetwo hinges comprises two members or sections, (indicated at 1 and 2,)the same at their adjacent ends overlapping one another and being formedwith approximately circular heads, as 3 and 3.

The head 3 is provided with a small stud or pin 4, which operates in asegmental slot 5, formed in the inner face of the head 3.

Both of the heads 3 and 3 have their inner faces formed plain or smooth,so that there will be a snug engagement, and by means of a bolt 6, whichpasses through the two heads, I am enabled to secure the sectionstogether in the manner more fully explained in the following.

1 preferably form the head 3 so that the same extends parallel to thebody portion or leaf of the section 2, so that said body portion can besecured to the inner face of one of the corner-posts of thevehicle-body, as by bolts 7 or other means. (See Fig. 5.)

At the forward edge of the head 3 and at the juncture of said head withthe body of its hinge-section I form a forwardly-projecting angularshoulder 8, which normally bears on the upper edge of the forward end ofthe vehicle-body, thus providing a material brace and reducing to aminimum any strain to which the bolts 7 might be subjected upon frequentmanipulation of the dashboard.

The upper section 1 has its body portion disposed at approximately rightangles to its head 3, so thatit can be readily secured to the inner faceof the dashboard, as clearly shown in the drawings.

By reference to Fig. 4: it will be observed that the bolt 6 has itsshank formed smooth, so as to be freely received in the bore of the head3, which is also smooth; but the remaining portion thereof is threaded,and likewise the bore of the head 3 is threaded, so that while the head3 by reason of its smooth bore engaging on the smooth portion of thebolt-shank is permitted to freely oscillate, the bolt is prevented frommoving therewith, as it is held at two points-namely, in thescrewthreaded bore of the head 3 and the nut 9, wlllich is removablysecured on its projecting en For the purpose of illustration I haveshown my improvement attached to the well-known box-body type ofbuggies; but it will be apparent that the same can be applied to anytype of vehicle to which the same would be applicable.

In operation I provide a dashboard, as 10, which has its lower edgeoverlapping the outer face of the forward wall or end of thebuggybottom, so that any water caught on the dashboard will be carriedfree of said front wall, and thus prevent it from leaking into thevehicle body. At each corner of the dashboard I secure the uppersections of the hinges, and the lower sections thereof I secure to theinner faces of the corner-posts of the vehiclebody, the shoulder 8 ofeach head of said lastnarned sections bearing on the upper edge of theforward end of the vehicle-body, as heretofore stated, and the nuts 9are then adjusted to insure the exactness of suflicient friction betweenthe inner faces of the heads 3 and 3 to enable the dashboard to be heldin its various inclined positions to which it is adapted to be adjusted.

In order to limit the movement of the adjustment of the dashboard, Iprovide the pin 4 and groove 5 construction, which has been heretoforedescribed, and the operation of which is believed to be clearlyapparent.

My invention is especially adapted for shielding an occupant of thevehicle from rain, which usually drips from the forward portion of thebuggy-top, and, as will be apparent by inspection of Fig. 1, thedashboard being shown in dotted lines at a'proper position foraccomplishing these functions, the water will be caught by the dashboardand will run down the same to a point in advance of the front wall ofthe vehicle-body.

A further advantage resulting from the foregoing is that the dashboardcan be moved or swung to a rearward inclination, so as to be out of theway of the vehicle-shafts when the same are swung to an upward position,as is the usual practice.

In the drawings I have shown a construc tion capable of carrying out thefunctions assigned to it; but it will be obvious that I do not wishmyself to be restricted to various details, and I therefore reserve theright to make such alterations and changes as-fall within the scope ofthe appended claim.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a device of the type set forth, a hinge comprising two sectionsformed at their adjacent ends with horizontal heads having smooth innerfaces, a stud secured to the inner face of one of said heads, the innerface of the other head being formed with a segmentary slot in which saidstud is received, a bolt passingthrough said heads, and the angularshoulder formed on the forward edge of one of said heads, substantiallyas and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

HUGO GOTTSCHALK. Witnesses:

DAVIS I'IENRY, EMME'IT E. BIGELOW.

